Generally, in the field of audio and/or video (A/V) media, there is a divide between conventional analog/digital media and Internet Protocol (IP)-based media. For instance, conventional A/V media has commonly been used for televisions (TVs), set-top boxes, etc., such as through various cable/satellite provider networks. However, it is somewhat difficult/complex to manage conventional (analog/digital) video so that it may be viewed by IP-based receivers, such as Personal Computers (PCs). Conversely, IP-based media is becoming more prevalent, such as with the transmission of music and videos directly over a computer network to a PC (or other IP-based devices), but again, it may be difficult to manage the IP-media so that it may be viewed/heard on non-IP-based output devices such as TVs, etc.
The divide described above is particularly noticeable in the area of video surveillance. For example, more and more homeowners and homebuilders are deploying security cameras into the home for enhanced security applications. These enhanced security applications may be used to provide access to live and recorded security video, both while in the home (locally) and away from the home (remotely). In one solution, analog cameras and radio frequency (RF) converters may be used to deliver the video to TVs for in-house viewing (e.g., on “channels” not used by other broadcasts). However, such a solution may be difficult for the average consumer to set up, and is generally not accessible remotely, e.g., only viewable from the TVs in the house. More advanced users, on the other hand, can readily purchase a range of wired and wireless IP cameras and then view the IP-based video from an IP-based receiver device, such as a PC having special surveillance software (or with access to a registration site receiving video signals from the IP-based cameras). While various PC-based software applications may be used to encode analog video and record it to local hard drives inside the PC, such solutions may be expensive and beyond the skill of the average consumer (and generally limited to in-home video surveillance). Further, neither PC-based solution leverages the TV, a device located in nearly every consumer's home, and a device which is far more easily operated for the average consumer than a PC (particularly the complex arrangements required for video surveillance described above).